I attempt to keep my apartment clean and organized, but sometimes things just get out of hand and I have to A) call for backup or B) spend an entire weekend day cleaning (while singing Beyonce at the top of my lungs) when I could be out drinking margaritas on a patio or working on my tan. And that sucks.
But to be honest, my beauty stash has been a disaster since I moved in 2.5 years ago (and basically my entire adult life) and it just keeps getting worse as I accumulate more and more products to review. So when I heard about the amazing organizing abilities of Gigi Miller of Vision Organizing from a friend, I decided to let her work her magic in one area of my home. Behold…the before and after:
Please note that I had another whole stash of stuff in my home office/sun room that I had no space for (and yes, we found a place for all of it on the shelves when we were done).
Gigi came in (she is fun and super sweet, btw) and we got to work, taking everything off the shelves and organizing it by categories like: Products I use everyday, products I use occasionally, products I still need to try, hair, nails, sun, travel sizes, sex toys, perfumes, stuff to donate/give away, and of course, the best category of all–trash.
Kidding about the sex toys. Those are in a bedside drawer, duh.
Here are the goods halfway through:
Over..whelming. But with someone there to help me make decisions, talk me through the process, and guide me with professional organization expertise, I actually didn’t feel overwhelmed at all. And when we put on the “Spring Cleaning” Songza playlist (no brainer), time flew by even faster.
Prior to our meeting, I figured I’d have to buy new, taller shelving or at least some storage pieces, but after we tossed the junk and organized the keepers, everything fit! As for new storage pieces, Gigi helped me get creative with what I already had like baskets, boxes, and even box lids.
Behold the diagram:
Ahhh. I feel at peace just looking at it. This was something so small, but it instantly made me feel happier with my home and well, in general–you don’t realize how much clutter and disorganization can weigh you down, even in one little area of your home. It has made getting ready 1,000 times easier and more enjoyable AND has even inspired to organize other areas of my place, starting with my office. And this project is minuscule compared to what Gigi normally does (ie. changing people’s homes and lives, especially if they’re bordering on hoarder territory). Here are a few of her tips for getting organized:
1. Make staying organized part of your daily routine: Spend 10-15 minutes at the end of each day putting items back where they belong. If you have a larger home (and especially if kids are involved), use a large basket to make it easier.
2. Designate a home for everything: Keep like items together and store them close to where you would use them.
3. Divide and conquer: Use colorful bins, plastic containers, baskets, and drawer dividers to divide and conquer clutter.
4. Go vertical: Consider floor-to-ceiling possibilities for shelving, racks, stackable drawers, hooks, and pegboards.
5. Shop around your home before spending money on expensive products: Nice boxes, lids as trays, and even travel bags/carriers are all things you may already have that can serve a purpose.
6. Prepare before shopping: Take measurements, research deals, and always go shopping with a list and budget in mind.
Cake stand for bath products:
Buffet for office supplies:
If you could use some order in your home or office and live in the Atlanta area, hit up Gigi. She’s offering 20% off your first session with a 3-hour minimum (just mention Witty + Pretty). If you’re outside the A, you can find a professional organizer nearby via the National Organization of Professional Organizers‘ site.
Oh, and if you were wondering if you can/should have a cocktail while de-cluttering, the answer is yes. Always yes.
LYLAS,
Organized Ashley